Truss.



0. PENGE. TRUSS. LIIELIOATION FILED MAY 26, 1909.

963,469. Patented July 5; 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

THE uomus PETERS cm, WASHINGTON, o, c.

G. FENCE.

TRUSS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 28, 1909.

Patented July 5, 1910.

2 sums-41mm 2.

I r V///////// V, u/AV//////// 61mm, o

THE NORRIS Pkrmas cm, WASHINGTON, o. c

UNITED STATES CHARLES FENCE, OF GALENA, KANSAS.

TRUSS.

Specification of Letters Yatent.

Application filed May 26,

Patented July 5, 1910.

1909. Serial No. 498,567.

To all whom it may conccm:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES Pinion, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galena, in the county of Cherokee and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Truss; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention, about to be set forth and claimed, belongs to the art of surgical appliances, and it particularly pertains to a new and useful device of that sub-class, which is designed to relieve and cure extrusions of the abdominal viscera through the walls of the abdomen, such abnormal condition, in the medical profession, being known as hernia or rupture. Such ruptures or extrusions, in the great mass, are classified generally under the term of inguinal hernia which when fully developed consist of two rings or ruptures, the internal and external,the internal rupture or ring, when it occurs, becomes a complete hernia, after having passed obliquely down the inguinal canal, through the external ring.

The primary object of this invention or truss is to permanently close the internal (upper) ring and thus preclude the possibility of the contents of the abdomen entering the inguinal canal and passing through the external ring, thus permanently closing the rupture. This permanent cure of the rupture is accomplished through the medium of a suitable pad, together with the natural movements of the surrounding muscles and parts of the abdomen upon the pad.

The invention aims as a further object to produce a novel truss, that is light and neat in appearance, comfortable in wearing, and may be readily manipulated to fit'the varied forms, and the varied locations of ruptures of different patients of even measurements around the hips.

The features, elements and the arrange ment thereof, which constitute the above entitled invention, may be changed and varied, that is to say, in an actual reduction to practice with the understanding that the changes and variationsaccruing from said reduction to practice are comprehended by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the truss, as applied to, and adjusted upon the wearers body. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of the truss. Fig. 4 is an elevation of the front part of the truss, illustrating the means for attaching the pads to the truss-frame. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of F ig. t. Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 66 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail perspective view of the rear ends of the truss. Fig. 8 is a sectional view through one of the rear ends of the truss upon line 8-8 of Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the length of wire 1.

In regard to the annexed drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, 1 designates a length of wire, of any suitable metal, preferably steel, which possesses strength, rigidity and resiliency, and of such length as to form the various curvatures, coils, and angles and to conform to the front contour of the body, from one side of the sacrum or base bone to the other. This length of wire is formed into two coils 2 and 3, and the metal or wire which extends from the coils, from either side thereof is shaped into two obtuse angles 4 and 5, which affords the proper shape of truss, to fit the contour of various bodies. The wire or metal between the two coils is bent at an angle, as shown at 6, so that the truss at this portion of its shape or formation will fit neatly and comfortably over the pubic bone. The metal or wire merging from the obtuse angles 5, upon either side of the said coils are extended upward and around the body of the wearer, and over the hips thereof, as shown clearly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. The wire or metal, after being shaped over the hips as shown at 7, is extended downwardly to the rear, and toward the center of the wearers body, as shown at 8, and is then formed into two rectangular hooks 9. These hooks embrace, and are designed for acting upon the muscles just below the projections of the upper and rear portions of the hip bone on either side of the wearers body. This constitutes a fulcrum and a support, with sufficient pressure in fronton the abdominal walls, in order to hold the truss in its proper position.

The entire length of the wire or metal may be covered or coated in any suitable manner, and of any suitable material, such the frame' This tubularsheath of covering 7 is formed of .asuitable length of material, such as abovenamed, which is bent upon itself longitudinally as shown at .11 and is V. rovided with one ormore rows. 0 stitch- 1'5' ,ing, as shown at 12, adjacent to the bent or folded portion of the material. This .material, in thisstate, is then applied to the metal, after which one of the folded portionsof the material is folded upon itself,

.20' as shown at 13, andthe other folded por- 3 tion is placed adjacent or next, to this last named folded portion, and .provided'with one ormore rows of stitching as shown at '14. In this manne a very neat appearing coveror sheath is provided, as shown in the drawings, and which will prevent bruising of the wearers body. The rear portions of the .last named folded portion of the cover or sheath, is finall: stitched, the upward ex tensions I5, whic are provided integral therewith, are folded as shown at 16 and supplied with one or more rows of stitching as. shown at 17, and the extremities ofthese extensions" are inserted between the folded "portions of the material forming the sheath or covering. These extensions when folded as shown in the drawings form suitable paddings to engage the wearers body, and bestween it and the rectangular formed hooks. These hooks are also covered with any suitable fabric "as shown at 18, and are designed for the purpose of being engaged by a suitableloop 19 of fabric or other material20,

- so as to secure the truss to the body of the 4 wearer. This loop is stitched transversely at several locations, "as shown at 21, so as to adapt .it for the purpose of adjusting the truss, to bodies of various measurements and contours. V

This" truss is provided with two new and novel pads 22 and 23, one of which is made of porous wood or. other material. This pad 22 of porous wood 'or other material is of the shape of'a small gourd, which is a very desirable general pad, and is especially adapted for direct operation upon hernias, the bulb closing opening and the neck reaching over make a compress on the external 11 ligaments, for the purpose of obtaining a 5 quickcure of rupture. This pad 22is fastened adjacent to the coil 2 by means' of a wood screw or other fastening means 24, as.

, shown in the drawings. This screw extends th'rough the coil and "is threaded into the I pad, and between thecoil and the head of the screw asuitable washer -25, of leather or other fabric is disposed, which prevents the head of the screw from being pulled through the coil. The pad 23' is composed of one or more pieces of leather, fabric or other material 26; there being in this present form of construction three pieces of leather or other fabric, two of the same diameter, and one of a smaller diameter, all of which are concentrically positioned. The smaller piece acting as anchorin means, for the screw 27, which is threaded into it. ,This screw 27 is inserted through the coil 3 of the truss, and between its head andthe said coil a washer 28 of leather or other suitable fabric is positioned, so as to preventthe' head of the screw from bein pulled through the coil. The pieces 0% fabric of the same diameter, which partly form the pad 23, has stitched thereto one or more pieces of fabric such as felt, velvet or plush or other suitable material 29, which is designed for direct contact with the wearers body, for the purpose of healing the last sta es of rupture, after being otherwise treate". The smaller piece of leather or fabric is stitched to the pieces of the same diameter, and separate from the felt, velvet or plush pieces. This is done so to prevent displacement of the smaller piece. This pad 23 is designed for a double purpose, that is to say for healing as above stated, and as a support, when only one side of a persons body is ruptured, so as to engage the unruptured or well side, so as to balance the truss frame and hold it in position. hen there is a double rupture this pad 23 may be removed, and in lieu thereof a pad similar to the pad 22 may be employed.

It will be clearly manifest that a novel and efiicient trussis provided, and which serves not only to cure a double rupture but to perform the function of an abdominal support, therefor, there is a truss rovided embodying the features of t rec trusses. 1

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed, as new and useful, 1s: 1. In a truss, a frame of resilient wire shaped to fitthe contour of a persons body,

having its end portions terminating in rectangular hooks and provided with centrally disposed coils, a continuous tubular sheath composed of a sin l'e len 11 of leather folded upon itself ongitu inally and over said wire and conforming to the shape of the coils, said sheath terminating into pads with which the hooks contact, separate coverings or sheaths for said hooks, and pads carried by said coils,

2. A truss comprising a single portion of wire formed to fit the "body of a wearer and provided with two cells spaced apart; from each other adapted to be held near the forward part of the body of the wearer, and into the pads, and washers positioned bealso provided with ends terminating in rectween the heads of the screws and the coils.

tangular hooks, said hooks being disposed In testimony whereof I have signed my at angles to the back engaging parts of the name to this specification in the presence of 5 wire portion, a sheet of flexible protecting two subscribing witnesses.

material coverin the wire ortion rovided with pads adapt ed to be lield beti een the CHARLES FENCE hooks and the wearers body, coverings for Witnesses: the hooks, pads adapted to be held on the LYTLE H. MOORE, 10 coils, screws extending through the coils JAS. MORIN. 

